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If you are planning a holiday in Lanzarote you will find that there are many different types of places to stay. With everything from 5 star luxury hotels through to cheap and cheerful apartments in the main resorts available on this unique little Canary Island and all just a four hour flight from the UK.

Lanzarote first came to prominence as a holiday hot spot during the package holiday boom years of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Featuring as an all year round destination in the brochures of the time and by 1993 the island was welcoming 2 million visitor every year. Today whilst it remains very popular these numbers have tailed off a bit, largely as a result of more competition from newer destinations such as Croatia and Turkey.

This enduring popularity can be partly attributed to the fact that there are loads of different sorts of places to stay on Lanzarote – which means that everyone can find accommodation to suit both their budgets and their taste.

The largest growth area over the past several years has been in self-catering offices, with over 10,000 Lanzarote Villas on the island.The majority of these can be found in Lanzarote’s primary holiday resorts. And virtually all have their own swimming pools and can be rented out all year round thanks to Lanzarote’s amazing climate. Expect to pay upwards of €450 for your week in the sun, depending of course on the time of year and location of your villa.

Purto del Carmen holiday villas tend to be more expensive than similar properties in other resorts, reflecting larger plot sizes and superior build quality. So if you are thinking about booking a break in the island’s oldest and largest resort you will need to allow upward of €600 per week, possibly more if you book during peak periods or plan to visit with a large group of people.

Villas in Playa Blanca on the other hand tend to be a little cheaper, with rental rates starting at around the €450 per week mark.

In addition to the great selection of villas in Lanzarote you’ll find 200 plus hotels to choose from too. Six 5 star establishments cater to the upper end of the tourist market, with the bulk of these establishments offering 4 star accommodation. Playa Blanca is the resort to head for if you are looking for a good value beak as the hotels here are much newer and there is a much greater range of choice than in either Puerto del Carmen or Costa Teguise.

The popular holiday destination of Lanzarote is located just off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. And is one of the seven Canary Islands – which are part of Spain even though they are in fact situated many miles south of the Iberian Peninsula.

The autonomous region of the Canaries is split into two main administrative zones. The eastern Canaries comprise Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and the ´capital´ of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. Whilst in the west the well known holiday destination of Tenerife is the lead island – with La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma orbiting around it.

The Canaries are not all birds of a feather though by any means – with each island boasting its own unique character. Lanzarote for example is much less green than Gran Canaria or Tenerife – reflecting the fact that there is very little in the way of rainfall here. Just as you would expect of an island in such close proximity to the outer fringes of the Sahara desert. With a climate that is warm by day but quite cool at night.

Volcanic activity during the 18th century has served to further compound this aridity. As the eruptions wiped out lots of farmland areas – leaving fields of thick solidified lava in their place. Making it even harder for much in the way of vegetation to grow here. Although Lanzarote does have its green spots – particular in the north of the island in and around Haria and the Valley of 1000 Palms.

Local Holiday Accommodation – Holiday Villas in Playa Blanca and Lanzarote Hotels

Visitors to the island are able to select from a broad array of accommodation options. There are over 250 hotels in Lanzarote to choose from for example. As well as a large selection of holiday rental accommodation. With apartments and villas in Lanzarote available across the island.

There are three main tourist resorts on the island – but during the winter months Playa Blanca in the south of the island really comes into its own. As the weather in this part of Lanzarote is warmer during December and January. Making this the ideal spot for anyone in search of winter sun.

As a result accommodation such as hotels and villas in Playa Blanca are in demand – especially during December and January. And the resort also offers wonderful beaches – such as the fine stretches of sand at Playa Dorada and Playa Flamingo. Whilst the awe inspiring sight of the Fire Mountains – Lanzarote´s 300 plus volcanoes – are just a short ten minute drive away.

Spring still doesn’t seem to be on its way, as the UK prepares itself for another spell of freezing weather. For those desperate to see blue skies and feel the sun on their skin, it looks like the best option is to book a holiday elsewhere. Holiday prices remain at an affordable level so now is an ideal time to start browsing the holiday websites and see what’s available to break the winter blues.

Whilst only seventeen hundred miles to the south, a group of islands continues to bask in warm weather, with an average temperature of 20º C even in the middle of December. Those islands are the Canaries, which although geographically aren’t really part of Europe, are in fact the southern most tip of the European Community.

Of the Canaries, it is Lanzarote that usually has the driest climate, given its close proximity to the north African coast and the low-lying nature of the island. With no mountains over 700 metres, rainfall is kept to a minimum, falling on average only twenty days a year. The intense heat of mainland Spain is tempered by breezes straight off the Atlantic.

The huge choice of holiday villas in Lanzarote and Lanzarote self catering apartments that can be found seems astounding to most visitors to the island.

And whilst many UK sun-seekers may already know the islands, having visited Gran Canaria or Tenerife, a holiday in Lanzarote is an entirely different thing. Unlike its neighbours, development on Lanzarote has been kept within tight constraints.

Then there is an incredible choice of villas, in all three of the main resorts as well as plenty dotted around the countryside. Holiday villas in Lanzarote provide the kind of home-from-home comforts that many holidaymakers prefer these days. Including internet access, air conditioning and use of a private swimming pool.

Many of the quiet residential streets, lined with palms and tropical trees, also contain numerous holiday villas. And such is the choice of villas in Lanzarote, there is usually something to suit every budget and taste, whether it is for couples, families or groups of friends.

Some villas come equipped as a home-from-home, with DVD libraries and books to entertain their guests. Others have games rooms, with pool tables and Playstations. Nearly all have built-in barbecues, as the weather allows al-fresco dining at all times of the year. Private swimming pools are also the norm, with most heated during the winter months to just take the chill off the water. With hot-tubs also on the increase, there are plenty of ways to relax in a Lanzarote villa.